[inaudible conversations] there now, south dakota senatr john thune, chair of the commerce, science and transportation committee, discusses the future of the internet at a conference hosted by the internet education foundation. This is about 20 minutes. [inaudible conversations] all right. Lets get started again for the final, for the final session of the day, please. Thanks. I am very honored, im rebecca arbor fast, head of Global Public policy for comcast nbc universal, and i am very honored to be able to introduce south dakotas senator, john thune, who just arrived by what sounds like was a bumpy air travel. So were very glad he made it. Senator thune is beginning his second term as chairman of the committee on commerce and transportation where hes going to continue to play a pivotal role in of the issues weve been talking about all day. The Commerce Committee, as everybody i think here probably knows, touches on virtually every aspect of the american economy. I mean, rail, aviation, oceans, fisheries, weather, everything. So its a broad realm that the senators has, but he has focused a lot on the issues of internet and digital policy because he recognizes that its the bedrock of the nations 21st century economy. And hes urged policymakers across both sides of the aisle to be, quote, as nimble as our world class businesses and our foreign competitors. As someone who hails from south dakota which has a population of, im told, 482 people, hes an advocate for some of the issues that we were talking about in the last panel which is rural access in areas so that they can continue to go forward and be part of the 21st century economy. Senator thunes been a thoughtful leader, i think everyone recognizes, who has earned the respect of his colleagues on both sides of the aisle, and his legislative accomplishments should not overshadow the personal. According to runners world magazine, he has the dis distinct honor of being, quote, the fastest man in Congress Since 2009. Senator thune. [applause] good afternoon. Thank you, rebecca. Congratulations on another great state of the net conference, and thanks to tim for hosting us today. Rebecca informed me that she summered, spent a summer in south dakota, so i always recommend that if youre going to spend an extended amount of time in south dakota, summers a good time to do it. Were going to get about 8 inches of snow tomorrow. I do and by the way, being the fastest person in congress, i always tell people is like, kind of like being the best surfer in kansas. [laughter] its a nice title to have, but it really doesnt mean very much. And i think tom cotton has probably passed that one up. But i do appreciates the opportunity to be appreciate the opportunity to be with you today. Its really amazing, were starting the the third decade of the internet, and its no longer novel, but its an essential technology that continues to transform the world around us often in very unexpected ways. And id be willing to bet that people in this room back in the 1990s when we were talking about america online, the worldwide web never thought that we would see combines and tractors, you know, built having the internet operating within them. And its really remarkable for those of you who dont spend much time on farms just to see what Wireless Connectivity has done to Farm Equipment in making agriculture much more efficient. In fact, if you get poo a cockpit i shouldnt say getting into a cockpit, getting into a tractor today, its like getting in the cockpit on an airliner. It really is amazing. And its transformed the way that we do agriculture in this country. In fact, right now we have sort of historic low commodity prices, we have high input costs which narrows the margins in agriculture. And so farmers need to be more and more efficient. They need more productivity. They need to really maximize their yields. And with the kind of technology thats available today, you can literally down to about a square inch of farm ground determine how much seed to plant, how much fertilizer to apply, if its irrigated ground, how much water to apply, and it has made agriculture so much more productive. And its going to have to be, because weve got 6080 Million People that were adding to the worlds population every year, and somebodys going to have to feed them. Theres only so much farm ground out there, so the American Farmer has to be more and more productive. And thats happening every single day. Agricultures extremely excited about Drone Technology because you can send a drone out and check crops, inspect crops, figure out how much weed control or pest control to apply to a certain field, you can send out to look at livestock. There are so many ways in which the technology that were seeing today is benefiting our economy all across this country, and sometimes in ways that a lot of people perhaps dont even recognize. Ing and then you look at health care. Its remarkable in my state of south dakota, we have a couple Large Health Care systems who are able to serve remote, Rural Communities hundreds of miles away through telemedicine. And being able through, on a video screen to do patient consultations, to this in some cases when you have Emergency Rooms in remote areas of the state and they get a trauma case thats brought in, to be able to consult with a specialist someplace else in the state, it really is transforming the way we can deliver health care across this country too and enhancing peoples not only convenience and not having to travel a couple hundred miles, but certainly saving lives at the same time because of whats happening. As rebecca mentioned, the town i grew up in is under 500 people. When i was growing up, there was about 800 people, so were like a lot of small communities, smaller. Were losing a lot of population, rural areas of south dakota. But the thing thats amazing to me about that is when i was growing up, i literally, my life began and ended at the city limits, you know . If we went anywhere, it was typically to pierre, the closest large town, 10,000 people, but they had a taco johns and a movie theater, so all the essentials. But my dad, who is 97 years old, stilllies in the little town still living in in the little town i grew up in, house i grew up in. Because of the internet, hes connected to the world. My dad cruises around web sites, and he mails family members. Weve even connected him with netflix. I dont think he uses it much, but, you know, there are just ways in which theres so many things that are transforming the way we live in providing enormous opportunities to people all across this country. These are huge changes, theyre making our world better, more prosperous, and theyre only made possible because of advancements in how data is shared and transmitted online. And that evidence, as i said, is literally all around us. By now were used to having at least a couple of online devices near us at all times, computers, phones, tvs, but increasingly we are seeing common, everyday object objects being connected on line too. A literal internet of things, things like thermostats, refrigerators along with those precision ag machines and Health Sensors i mentioned earlier. These iot devices unon truce ily gather data and communicate with users and other devices to solve a variety of consumer needs. The internet of things will also bring significant economic benefits and drive growth in every sector of our economy. There are currently about 16 billion wireless devices, internetconnected devices worldwide. By 2020 some believe that number could grow between 50 billion and 200 billion. According to mckenzie, the explosion of growth has the potential to create an Economic Impact of 6. 2 trillion annually by the year 205. And as much 2025. And as much as consumers will see the internet of things, most of this growth will be seen from industrial, commercial and civic applications. The iot is just one example of how communication and Information Technologies like the internet have become a fundamental part of our economy. There isnt a job creator in america today, i would argue, who doesnt have their own story to tell about how and when they realized the internet had become a critical part of their business. But while the connected Digital Economy is creating massive economic and societal opportunities, our nations laws are not keeping pace with the rapidly evolving digital landscape. Over the last several years, netflix and amazon have completely disrupted the video world. The iphone has just celebrated its tenth anniversary since redefining personal computing and connectivity. Yet most of the Government Policies dealing with video, wireless and internet platforms are written for a world where none of these things even existed. Its a testament to the ingenuity of the American Business person and entrepreneur that theyve been able to adapt and succeed with laws that are increasingly out of date. I dont doubt that they can and will continue to work around the growing shortcomings of our nations laws. American companies and consumers deserve better from our government. First, we need to modernize our Communications Laws to facilitate the growth of the internet itself. And we second, we need to update Government Policies to better reflect the innovations made possible by the internet and other digital technologies. The chairman of the Senate Committee most focused on helping businesses find opportunities for growing worker rolls and paychecks, the vast majority of our top agenda items fit into one of those two buckets. The internet is the platform for learning, engaging and creating in the digital world. And the more robust and secure our networks are, the more prosperous our country will be. That means we need to both invest in americas Digital Future and make sure that the laws governing the internet are well crafted. One way government can help investment in our Digital Infrastructure is by finding ways to make it cheaper and easier to build mobile and fixed broadband americas. The Commerce Committee, i introduced legislation called the mobile now act to insure that huge swaths of wireless spectrum are made available for commercial use by the year 2020. By then we expect the next generation of ultra speed, highspeed mobile services known as 5g which will need way more spectrum than is available today. Mobile now would also cut through much of the bureaucratic red tape that makes it difficult to build Wireless Infrastructure on federal property. And the bill would also facilitate inclusion of broadbandready conduit in federallysupported highway projects, reducing the time and cost of building out internet service. I expect the Commerce Committee to pass mobile now later this week. But this legislation is just the start of what congress can do to promote network buildout. Even after senate passage, i spend for the Commerce Committee to continue developing legislative proposals to spur broadband deployment, to make more spectrum available for the public and to improve connectivity throughout rural america. And with Congress Working possibly on broader infrastructure legislation this year, these kinds of ideas need to be a part of that discussion. Good internet infrastructure policies and investment matter very little, however, if government bureaucrats have the ability to overregulate the digital world. And when it comes to regulating the internet, one need look no further than the federal communications commission. In a world that was turning away from Legacy Telecom services and instead toward dynamic internet applications, the fcc found its role in the world gradually diminishing. This is an inevitable and good byproduct of a more competitive world brought about by technological innovation and successful light touch policies. Over the last several years, the fcc pursued an aggressively activist and partisan agenda that put government edicts ahead of real consumer desires in setting a course for the internet. Speaking about new Economic Opportunities on the internet, the last fcc chairman declared that and i quote government is where we will work this out. End quote. Now, i dont know about you, but i think the marketplace should be the center of the debate over how our Digital Networks will function, not the fcc. And i believe consumers and job creators should be the ones deciding about new technologies, not the government. For instance, some internet providers are offering plans now, Service Plans that allow you to stream video, music or other content for free. These innovative offers are a sign of a dynamic and aggressive competition in the marketplace. Yet two weeks ago the outgoing fcc issued a report raising what they called, and i quote, serious concerns that such practices likely harm consumers. End quote. They seem to think that being able to do more online for less money is a bad thing for consumers. Well, seems like consumers have come to a different conclusion, because the free offerings are turning out to be quite popular. One of the important takeaways from novembers historic election is that the American People are tired of government bureaucrats trying to micromanage their lives. One way for us to address this concern in the Digital Space is to both modearnize how the fcc modernize how the fcc operates and reform what the fcc is allowed to do. We need a modern regulator that focuses more on fixing fundamental problems in the marketplace and focuses less on dictating direction of technological innovation and progress. The last Time Congress passed meaningful laws affecting the fcc was in the mid 1990s when the internet was just in its infancy. Its clearly time for fcc reform. Weve had many conversations about improving the agency, and this year presents a real opportunity to turn those conversations into solutions. Given the broad interest in promoting continued growth of the internet, im confident that we can attract the bipartisan support needed to move legislation modernizing the fcc across the senate floor. Another area where id like to achieve bipartisan agreement is on legislation to protect the open internet. We need clear and reasonable rules for the digital road that internet companies, broadband providers and end users can easily understand. I should say complex and ambiguous regulations that shift with the political winds arent in anyones best interests. For people to get the maximum benefit possible from the internet, they need certainty about what the rules are and, most importantly, what the rules will be in the coming years. And the only way to achieve this is for congress to pass bipartisan legislation. Ive worked with my colleagueses over the past two years to find a legislative solution, and while we havent gotten there yet, i remain committed to the cause. Who knows . The reality of a republican fcc may help inspire some of my democrat colleagues to embrace the idea that a bipartisan legislative solution is the best possible outcome. And for those of you who have heard me speak about these issues since i became chairman of the Commerce Committee two years ago, hopefully some of this sounds familiar. The committee was incredibly productive last year with 60 measures signed into law. We also made Real Progress on internetfocused legislation including Committee Approval of the mobile now legislation i mentioned earlier and the first fcc reauthorization bill in a quarter century. We are going to build on that foundation in this congress. So just to reiterate, my goals for this Current Congress include enacting mobile now, moving additional legislation on broadband, broadband deployment and spectrum policy, including broadband in any larger infrastructure package, finding a longterm legislative solution to protecting the open internet and working with my colleagues in the senate and the house on overdue updates to modernize the fcc and our Communications Laws. In all of this, i want to take advantage of the good ideas that are out this from our Committee Members on both sides of the aisle and the stakeholders who are represented here today. If anyone has watched the two con fir be mission hearings that confirmation hearings that weve held so far this month for elaine chao and wilbur ross, youll no doubt appreciate that spectrum, the internet of things, cybersecurity and broadband deployment particularly in rural areas were consistent themes from senators on both sides of the aisle. In other words, therell be no shortage of ideas to incorporate as we move forward on the goals that ive outlined. Its also important to underscore that and as this group knows well there is not a bright line between internet policy and the other key parts of our economy. The same is true of the Commerce Committees agenda. For example, selfdriving vehicles will be one of the most significant areas of oversight in the new congress. And i use the term selfdriving vehicle instead of Autonomous Vehicle because as my colleague from michigan, senator gary peters, has pointed out, you still have to tell the vehicle where to tell you where to take you, i should say. The term autonomous makes it sound as if the vehicle doesnt really need you anymore. But since 1946, more than 30,000 people have died every single year on the roadways in the united states. And over these 70 years, weve certainly saved lives by introducing seat belts and airbags and other Smart Designs in our vehicles. But all of these important safety advancements pale in comparison to the potential safety benefits of selfdriving vehicles. It wont come all 2001, but selfdriving all at once, but selfdriving technology has the potential to compete with that of modern commercial airlines. Some have argued that selfdriving cars or at least certain functions should be disconnected from the internet to minimize the risk of malicious hacking. But there are some obvious benefits to cars that can communicate with each other or with the infrastructure or can simply download the latest information about traffic conditions or updates to the vehicles operating software. So conversations about the speed and security of our internet connects will be intertwined with discussions about the safety of our roadways. At the Commerce Committee, we dont guide new technologies, we instead allow technologies to guide us to the policies that are needed. At the end of the day, it will be american innovators and entrepreneurs who will determine what the Digital Future holds, not us. And we know that. The best that government can do is to try to facilitate their success while making sure that we are not accidentally standing in their way. If youth is all about endless possibility, then adulthood is all about manifesting that potential into reality. And as the internet matures now into its 20s, i am excited to watch how it and other emerging technologies will continue to change our world in the coming years. Be and and as a leader in the congress, im eager to do my small part in insuring that all americans benefit from these amazing advances. Thank you all very much, and well look forward to seeing you around the neighborhood. Thanks. [applause] [laughter] no, youre good. Well be everybody follow the senator. Theres drinks in the next two rooms [laughter] thank you, everybody, for coming. Therell be cocktail bars in the next room and the room after that. Please stay. Thank you. [inaudible conversations] today the Washington Institute hosts a discussion with an Israeli Cabinet anyonester and a former israeli minister and a former israeli ambassador on u. S. israel relations. Thats live at 12 30 p. M. Eastern here on cspan2. And the senate gavels in today at 3 p. M. Eastern. At 5 p. M. Theyll resume debate to confirm Rex Tillerson as the next secretary of state. At 5 30 p. M. The senate will take a procedural vote with a simple majority needed to advance the nomination. If cloture is invoked, a confirmation vote could take place on wednesday. Live gaveltogavel coverage of the senate here on cspan2. The state of the net conference was held here in washington, d. C. This past week, and tonight on the communicators well speak with three attendees about upcoming issues facing the internet. Gigi sohn, former special counsel to the fcc, mark jamison, key adviser on the trump transition for the next fcc, and acting assistant attorney general for National Security mary mccord on the u. S. Efforts to counter online radicalization. Everybody likes net neutrality, but what they dont like is the fccs ability to be a referee on the field and make sure that networks are are fast, fair and open. I think there could be a lot of improvements with the fcc. I think its vision needs to be more sharply focused, and i think its structure these to adapt as well. Theres efforts of google, facebook and others to create countermessaging, because the government is uniquely not in a good position to be a countermessenger, so thats an area where i think the private sector has really started to step up. Watch the communicators tonight at eight eastern on cspan2. Now the Senate Finance Committee Confirmation hearing for Steven Mnuchin who is nominated to become the next treasury secretary. A Committee Vote on his nomination is expected later today. This portion is three hours and 35 minutes. [inaudible conversations]
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